Self-cleaning shower head



Patented Nov. 2d, 1953 SELF-CLEANING SHOWER HEAD George E. Hansen, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Crane 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 16, 1951, Serial No. 206,230

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a shower head, and, more especially, it pertains to a shower head of a self-cleaning type for shower baths or the like.

It has long been a problem in relation to the operation of shower heads to overcome the objectionable result of line accumulations of foreign deposits in the flow passages of the shower head, since sediment in the water or hard water fre uuently has led to substantial clogging of the flow passages and thus presented a serious problem in shower head operation.

Presently known self-cleaning shower heads include a spring action type of deflector plate or disc. 7

It is an important object of this invention to provide a shower head which is relatively simple and self-cleaning, and thereby eliminates clogging of the flow passages.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a shower head which does not permit water to drip after closing off the water supply valve.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent upon proceeding with the following description read in light of the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional assembly view of a preferred embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional View of the same embodiment shown in Fig. 1, but in a different operational position.

Fig. 3 is an end exterior view of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional assembly view of a modification of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional assembly View of a further modification of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an end exterior View of the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Proceeding with the description and as shown in Fig.1, the shower head ID is indicated as being in the non-operating or shut-off position, Wherein a body portion H is shown in a fragmentary sectional view to comprise a central liquid passageway l2 and a substantially spherically formed exterior head section I3. Means for connecting the shower head In to a supply conduit (not shown) can be of the conventional threaded type within the rearward body portion, but these connecting means are not deemed necessary to show in these drawings. 7

A. shower head casing it is mounted over the body head section 6 3 by receiving the latter within a central casing opening l6 which is slightly smaller than the largest transverse dimension-of the head section 13. This assembly is made by the usual method of passing the body portion I! through the casing It to a position in which the body head section l3 contacts the upper annular wall of the reduced opening of easing passageway I 6. Thus, it should be apparent that the body l l and easing M are swivelably arranged in the usual manner to provide for directional control of the shower spray.

It should also be noted that the body flow passage l2 communicates with the casing flow passage !5 which extends axially through the casing I l. Thus, water is conducted through the shower head ll} by means of the flow passages, past the other elements to be hereinafter described, and is discharged out the casing outlet opening l5.

An internal portion of easing M is preferably threaded about its flow passage to receive therewithin a perforated baiiie plate ll having flow passage means therewithin, such as a plurality of apertures l8, annularly located in the plate ll, and an axial central opening is. A resilient member, such as the coil spring 2|, is preferably disposed within the casing is to abut the upper surface of the plate I! and to extend therefrom to an annular packing material 22 which surrounds a portion of the casing spherical head section 13 and preferably has a conforming arouately formed abutting surface. Thus, a liquid tight swivel joint is obtained between the body II and the casing It. A bearing washer 23 is provided between the coil spring 2! and the packing material 22 to insure suitable spring loading of the latter against the head section it.

Disposed within the casing M below the plate :1 is a liquid deflector means, such as a circularly shaped flow disc 25, which has an upwardly extending shank. portion within the baffle plate central opening H1.

The foregoing structure is conventional and.

the description hereinafter following applies to the novel feature with which this invention is primarily concerned. An annular steel ring 23 is press-fitted or otherwise suitably connected to the upper surface of flow disc 25. Aligned with ring 28 is an annular-1y shaped permanent magnet 29 press-fitted or otherwise secured to the casing Hi to be partially exposed therefrom. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, the magnet 25? normally attracts the ring 28 so as to thereby draw the disc 21 slidably received 26 upwardly within the casing [4, disc shank 21 being free to move slidably within the plate spring I9.

Thus, when the water supply is turned on, water pressure passes within the shower head In through the passages 12 and I6 and the apertures l8 to where it strikes against the fiow disc 26 to force the latter downwardly and away from the magnet 29 to. an open position as-shown in Fig. 2. A washer 3| secured to the top of the shank 21 by a screw 32, extends beyond the transverse limits of the shank to abut the plate 11 in the downward movement of the disc 26 and the com nected shank 21. Thus, the disc 26 is secured within the casing l4 against the water pressure therewithin.

In the operating position shown in Fig. 2, wate r is thus permitted to flow around the disc 26 which is preferably provided around a peripheral portion 33 with serrations or notches 34, as better shown in Fig. 3. The relation between the disc periphery and an adjacent inner annular casing face portion 36 is such that water is per mitted to flow'out around the disc and through the-notches 34 to form the desired shower spray. Obviously, the casing face 36 could be provided with the serrations, with the disc eitherbeing serrated or made plain, as desired.

Upon the cessation of flow through the shower head ID, the magnet 29 again draws the disc. 26 upward to the closed position shown in Fig. l. The latter motion of the disc effects a cleaning of the shower head around the casing outlet I as the operating relation of the disc 26 to the easing face 36 is changed and thereby aids in loosening any accumulations or deposits clinging thereto.

Also, it should be noted that in the position shown in Fig. 1, water dripping is prevented by virtue of rapid evacuation of water from the shower head and by the ring 28 tightly abutting the magnet 29 to form a liquid seal therebetween. Thus, hard water precipitates cannot form on the walls of the casing outlet I5 nor on the disc 26 which form the outletpassages.

A modification of the above described inventi on is shown in Fig. 4 in the operating position where a casing M is connected to theibody II as previously described. Body flow passage I2communicates with a flow passage 42 of the casing 4 l, as shown. A baffle plate 43 is threadedly mounted within the casing to support a coil spring 44- which maintains a packing material 46 in liquid tight: relation against the body H as described in connection with Fig. 1.

A plurality of apertures 41 annularly spaced in plate 43 permit liquid flow therethrough andint-o. thecasing outlet portion 48'. Preferably-fixedly mounted on the plate 43 is a spindle 49' which: depends therefrom to support a flange end 5| in the outlet ofthe casing, thereby providing: a predetermined annular outlet space between theouter periphery of the flange 51" and the-wall of the outlet 48. The. peripheryof' the flange 5| is preferably provided' with notches 52 which efi ect the spray discharge or the water, similar to that: structure described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3: as the end View of Fig. 4 is similar to the View shown in Fig. 3...

Here similarly, a permanent magnet 53: pressfitted or otherwise positioned within the casing below the plate 43. An inverted cup-like steel member 54 is slidably mounted on the spindle 49' to reciprocably move thereon in response to the water pressure within the casing as describedin connection with Fig. l. A plurality of flow apertures 56 are annularly provided in the member 54 to permit water flow therethrough.

Thus, the member 54 is alternately actuated to move within the casing 43 by either the water pressure or the magnet, and thereby likewise providing for self-cleaning of the shower head as described in connection with Fig.1.

A further modification of this invention is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5, a fragmentary sectional assembly view of a shower casing 59 is shown, being provided with a flow passage 6 I. An annular magnet 62 is'press-fitted or otherwise secured within the casing around the flow passage 6 I'. An end plate 63 is preferably threadedly engaged into the liquid outlet end of the casing 59 and is provided with a plurality of annularly spaced liquid outlet apertures 64 which are preferably of a polygonal shape, such as hexagonal, as shown in Fig. 6.

A plurality oi? steel balls 66, one for each of the outlet apertures 64, are disposed within the easing 59 above the end plate 63. Thus, in the operational position shown, the spheres 66 seat imperfectly in the polygonal outlet apertures, thereby to provide outlet passages 61 at the'corners of the hexagonally shaped apertures, as shown in Fig. 6.

Upon cessation of water flow through the shower head, the spheres 66 are drawn upwardly to the magnet 62, and thereby efiect the selfeleaning of the outlets as previously described in connection with Fig. 1.

Means for guiding the spheres 66 in their upward and downward travel is-shown to consist of a cylindrically shaped brass insert 68 preferably disposed on the inner periphery of the casing 59, and a smaller brass insert 69is disposed within the insert 68 to guide the balls there between. Each insert is preferably provided with axially disposed projections II which guidethe spheres against transverse movement in the easing 59. Thus, each sphere is separately guided in axial movement within the casing. To secure the inserts in position, connecting struts HI are pref-' erably provided between the two inserts.

Thus it will be apparentfthat a relatively simple, eflicient and economical structure has been provided for a shower head, and, although this invention has been described in specific forms, it is susceptible to numerous changes, andit should, therefore, be limited only by the spirit of this invention and the scope of the'appen'ded claims.

I'claim:

1. In a shower head construction, the combination comprising a casing having an inlet and outlet and-meanswithin said outlet-adapted to form arr-annular outlet space in cooperation with the inner wall of said casing including an inverted cup-shaped member positioned-within said casing for reciprocal movement said member haying'a depending skirt interposable between said means within said outlet and the" inner wall of, said cas-' ing in the lowermost position-ofsaid cup-shaped member during substantial'fiuid flow through" said casing to restrict said annular outlet space for theformation of a shower spray,-said cup-shaped member being apertured through the top to permit fluid flow within said member, a magnet within said casing mounted above said cup-shaped memberfor displacement of the latter from its lowermost shower spray forming position when substantial fluid flow through the casing has stopped, said magnet forming an abutment limiting the upward movement of said cup-shaped member, said cup shaped member serving as a keeper for the magnet when in the uppermost abutting position, said apertures in said cupshaped member being positioned so as to be open and efiective in the passage of fluid from the inlet to the outlet of said casing for all positions of said reciprocal cup-shaped member.

2. In a showerhead construction, the combination comprising a casing having a fluid passage therethrough and fixed apertured means extending across said fluid passage, axial stem means secured to said apertured means, said stem means having a disc-alike portion at the lower end thereof which is uniformly spaced from a portion of said casing to form an annular outlet opening, an inverted cup-shaped member mounted on said stem for reciprocal movement, said cup-shaped member having a depending skirt portion interposable between said lower disc-like portion and said outlet forming portion of the casing in the lowermost position of said cup-shaped member during substantial fluid flow through said casing to restrict said annular outlet for the formation of a shower spray, said cup shaped member being apertured through the top to permit fluid flow within said member, an annular magnet mounted on said casing, said magnet being positioned above said cup-shaped member for displacement of the latter from its lowermost shower spray forming position casing has stopped, said magnet having an exposed surface for annular abutting contact with said cup-shaped member in the uppermost position thereof, said cup-shaped member serving as a keeper for the magnet when in the uppermost abutting position, said apertures in said member being positioned inwardly towards the center of said abutment with said magnet and being in communication with the apertures in said apertured means of the casing and effective for fluid passage through said casing for all positions of said reciprocal cup-shaped member.

3. In a showerhead construction, the combination comprising a casing having a fluid passage therethrough and fixed apertured means extending across said fluid passage, axial stem means secured to said apertured means, said stem means having a disc-like portion at the lower end thereof which is serrated around its outer periphery, said serrated periphery being uniformly spaced from the inner wall of said casing to form an annular outlet opening, an inverted cup-shaped member mounted on said stem for reciprocal movement, said cup-shaped member having a depending skirt portion interposable between said when substantial fluid flow through the of said casing for lower disc-like portion and the inner wall of said casing in the lowermost position of said cupshaped member during substantial fluid flow through said casing to restrict said annular outlet for the formation of the shower spray, said cupshaped member being apertured through the top to permit fluid flow within said member for spray discharge between the serration of said disc-like portion and the inner surface of said skirt when the cup-shaped member is in the lowermost spray forming position, th outer surface of said skirt being imperforate and cylindrical for contact along the entire surface thereof with the inside guidance and positioning and relatively close fit relation therewith to substantially eliminate the passage of fluid around the outside of said cup-shaped member, an annular magnet mounted on the inside of said casing, said magnet being positioned above said cup-shaped member for displacement of the latter from its lowermost shower spray forming position when substantial fluid flow through the casing has stopped, said magnet having an exposed surface for annular abutting contact with the top of said cup-shaped member in the uppermost position thereof, said cup-shaped member serving as a keeper for the magnet when in the uppermost abutting position, said apertures in said member being inwardly of said abutment with said magnet for constant communication with the apertures in said apertured means of the casing for fluid passage through said casing for all positions of said reciprocal cup-shaped member.

GEORGE E. HANSEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 602,074 Gumtow Apr. 12, 1898 912,576 Kelley Feb. 16, 1909 1,280,062 Mertz Sept. 24, 1918 1,758,119 Le Moon May 13, 1930 ,0 2,623 Boyd Aug, 27, 1935 2,049,141 Schneider July 28, 1936 2,056,103 Herzbrun et a1 Sept. 29, 1936 2,261,562 Ray Nov. 4, 1941 2,583,233 Russell Jan, 22, 1952 2,583,234 Russell Jan, 22, 1952 ,609,835 Horvay Sept. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 212,570 Germany Aug. 5, 1909 

